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(No Model.) l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. M. HERB & G. W. CUMMINS FURNACE FOR ANNEALING METALS. No. 319,713. Patented June 9, 1885.

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ATTORNEYS.

' (No Model.) 2 Sheets'Sheet 2 E. M. HERB & G. W. OUMMINS.

FURNAGE FOR ANNEALING METALS.

No 319,713. Patented June 9, 1885.

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NITED STATES ATENI' Fries.

EDW'IN M. HERB, OF DENVER, COLORADO, AND GEORGE XV. OUMMINS, OF VIENNA, NEW JERSEY.

FURNACE FOR ANNEALIING METALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,713, dated June 9, 1885.

Application filed October 7, 1884. (N o model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWIN M. HERB, of Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, and GEORGE W. OUMMINs, of Vienna, in the county of Warren and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Furnace for Annealing Metals, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a cross-sectional elevation of our improved annealing-furnace. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal elevation of the cage for receiving the wire, parts being in section. Fig. 4 is an end view of the same. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the automatic damper.

A casing or receptacle, A, made of sheet metal, is rounded at its top, and some distance from the top is provided with an enlargement or wing, B, on one side, separated from the receptacle A by a vertical partition, 0, extending to within a short distance of the top of the enlargement or wing B, whereby an opening, E, is formed, establishing communication between the receptacle A and the wing B. The casing A as well as the wing B are open at the bottom. This casing A B is intended to be surrounded by masonry or other suitable casing, A, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, so that it is perfectly air-tight, though open at the bottom.

The upper part of the casing A is contained ment or wing .13.

In the floor below the casing A and wing 13 recesses I I are formed for receiving the carriers H H, and track-bars L are secured over the said recesses at the ends, the said bars serving to support the wire cages M.

The carriers H H are guided at their ends by vertical ridges N on the inner surfaces of the ends of the casing A and the wing B.

A short distance below the carrier H ahorizontal plate, 0, is held on the rod J, which plate is provided with a series of slots inclined in one direction from the top of the 6 plate 0 to about the middle of the thickness of the same, and in opposite direction from the middle to the bottom of the said plate.

Inclined tracks P are pivoted to swing upward on the inner surfaces of the ends of the 6 casing A, the said tracks extending from the top of the partition 0 into the casing A.

A short distance below the bottom'of the furnace F two damper gates or valves, Q, are pivoted on the ends of the casing A, the free or swinging edges of the valves abutting at the longitudinal central plane of the casing. The valves are pivoted near their outer ends, and on their outer ends counterweights B are secured. 7

Stops S S are provided, against which the weighted ends of the gates can strike.

In the middle of the free edge of each valve or gate a recess or notch, Q, is formed for the piston-rod.

Like valves or gates are provided in the lower part of the receptacle. A and in the wing B.

A tube, T, conducts the gas into the top of the casing A, and a tube, V, conducts the surplus of 'gas from the bottom of the said casing.

A burner, IV, is arranged on the casing A a short distance above the outlet-tubeV.

The cage M consists of two heads, (2, united 0 by rods 9. The heads are provided with flanges 7i, flush with the inner surfaces, parts h of the flanges being hinged and forming a gate with the rods uniting them. These flanges h act the same as the flanges on car-wheels to 5 guide the cageson the tracks P.

The operation is as follows: Coiled wire is placed in the cage M, the cage is rolled upon the track-bars L, and is thus held above the carrier H, which is in the recess I. The piston J is then forced upward, and carries the cage up into the top of the casing or receptacle A, as shown in Fig. 1. During the time that the cage is being moved upward the gates Q hang vertically, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. The cage strikes the blocks R, also shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, thereby swinging them toward the side:of the casing until the center of gravity is beyond the pivots, and the weights R swing the gates or valves Q into a horizontal position. When the cage descends, it swings down and opens the gates again, the gates remaining in the vertical or open'position as the blocks or weights R project from the inner sides of the pivots. The stops S S are provided to limit the movements of the gates. The tracks P must swing upward to permit the cage and the carrier to pass. Then a non-oxidizing and oxidizable medium, such as marshgas, illuminating-gas, water-gas, hydrogen, carbonic oxide, or a'similar medium is introduced into the receptacle or casing A, through the pipe T, and gradually fills the same and its enlargement or wing B. The said gas is ignited at the burner W, and as long as the flame burns at the said burner it indicates that there is a sufficient supply of gas in the receptacle. The excess of gas is carried off through the pipe V.

In case illuminating-gas is used to fill the receptacle it is necessary first to get rid of the hydrocarbons decomposable by the heat of the annealing-furnace. This we propose to do by exposing the gas to a heated surface to decompose the hydrocarbons, and allowing the carbons to deposit before the cage enters the receptacle. The upper portion of the receptacle or. casing A is heated to a high degree by the fire in the furnace F, and thereby the wire in the cage is annealed, the surrounding gas preventing the formation of an oxide of the metal annealed. When the wire has been heated sufficiently, the cage is lowered until it comes til the carrier H is in the recess 1, and the cage rests on the rails L. While the metal in one cage is cooling in the upper part of the wing or enlargement B, the metal in another cage is being heated in the upper part of the chamber, receptacle, or casing A.

The gates Q prevent currents in the gas, and the upper gates to a certain degree prevent radiation. The plate 0, having the zigzag grooves, prevents the radiation of the heat from the upper part of the chamber or casing A.

The chamber or casing A and its wing B must be made absolutely air-tight, so as to prevent any loss whatever of gas.

Wire of all kinds or metal of any other shape or form can be annealed in the abovedescribed furnace.

Wire-gauze may be provided for preventing the flame in the chimney from passing back through the pipe V and igniting the gas in the chamber, receptacle, creasing. If desired, an automatic regulator may also be provided for governing the inlet of gas.

The waste water forced out of the cylinder K when the piston J descends can be conducted into the cylinder K to press the piston J upward, so as to adapt it to receive the cage held on the upper end of the piston J.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In an annealing-furnace, the receptacle A, provided below its top with a lateral wing, B, partition 0, separating the wing and receptacle, and an opening, E, above the top of the partition for connecting the two chambers,

substantially as set forth.

2. In an annealing-furnace, a receptacle for receiving the articles to be annealed, provided with a gas-supply pipe and a burner, whereby the continuance of the supply of gas may be determined, substantially as set forth.

3. In an annealing-furnace, the combination, with the receptacle A and piston J, of swinging gates or valves for forming transverse partitions therein, substantially as set forth.

4:. In an annealing-furnace, the combination, with an air-tight chamber or receptacle, a furnace surrounding the upper part of the same, of a vertically-reciprocating piston having a carrier, and swinging gates pivoted with in said receptacle below the furnace on opposite sides of said piston, and adapted to be automatically operated, thereby to form transverse partitions, substantially as set forth.

5. In an annealing-furnace, the combination, with a chamber, vessel, or receptacle open at the bottom and closed at the top, of

the piston J, the carrier H, and of the plate 0, secured on the piston directly below the carrier, and provided with zigzag grooves, substantially as herein shown and described.

6. In an annealing-furnace, the combination, with a vessel, casing, or receptacle, A, having a wing or enlargement, B, of the pistons J J, the carriers H H, and the tracks P, substantially as herein shown and described.

7. In an annealing-furnace, the combination, with the vessel, casing, or receptacle A, having a wing, B, separated from the said vessel or receptacle by the partition 0, of the pistons J J, the carriers H H, and the tracks P, substantially as herein shown and described.

8. The combination, with the receptacle A annealed, consisting of two circular end plates united by rods, the said plates being provided with circular flanges along their inner edges, substantially as herein shown and described.

9. In a cage for holding metals, the combination, with the end plates, d, having flanges h, of the rods 9, and the hinged portion h of the flanges h on the end plates, substantially as herein shown and described.

10. In an annealing-furnace, the combination, with the vessel, casing, or receptacle A,

and piston J, of the hinged valves Q, having tracks 1?, and the gas inlet and outlet pipes,

oounterweights R, substantially as shown and described.

11. An annealing-furnace consisting, essentia1ly,0f areceptacle, A, closed at its top, open at its bottom, and provided with a lateral wing, B, partition 0, a furnace, F, surrounding the upper part of the casing, and an exterior casing, A, surrounding the receptacle A, and its Wing B, vertically-reciprocating pistons J, swinging valves Q, and swinging herein substantially as set forth.

EDWIN M. HERB. GEORGE W. GUMMINS.

Witnesses to signature of E. M. Herr:

W. M. WHITE, M. L. WILLARD.

Witnesses to signature of G. W. Ounimins:

W. W. N IoHoLLs, DUANE J. KELSEY. 

